Alarm interval timer



April 5, -193s. L X V 2,113,274

ALARM INTERVAL TIMER Filed Nov. 8, 1934 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 19 I BY ,9 3 1103 INVENTOR Frederick LuX.

April 5, 1938. F, LUX 2,113,274

ALARM I NTERVAL TIMER Filed Nov. 8, 19-54 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR BY Freda rack Lux I541? WW Patented Apr. 5, 1938 ALARM INTERVAL TIMER Frederick Lux, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Lux Clock Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 8, 1934, Serial No. 752,081 7 2 Claims. (-01. 161-23) This invention relates to timing devices, and more particularly to an interval timer adapted to sound an alarm after the expiration of a predetermined period of time.

6 One object of this invention is to provide a time controlled alarm for use by housewives in operating various domestic appliances, which will also be useful in hospitals, laboratories, photographic studios, etc.

10 A further object is to provide a timing device of the spring-operated type combined with a spring-operated alarm device which will sound an alarm at the end of a time period.

A further object is to provide an alarm device 15 of the above nature in which the'time spring and alarm spring will be simultaneously wound by the manual turning of the setting pointer, and in a which vthe time train will be automatically set into motion upon the release of said pointer, but 20 in which the alarm train will be restrained from operation until the expiration of the timing period.

A further object is to provide an alarm timer having an adjustable pointer stop mechanism for 25 permitting the pointer to be manually set accurately to any repeatedly-used timing period, such as in routine photographic work.

v A further object is to provide an alarm timer of the above nature-which will be simple in con- 30 struction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance,.

' and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings 35 one form in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 represents a front elevation view of an interval timer embodying the invention. 40 Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same on an enlarged scale, showing the clock mechanism in side elevation.

'Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing a front elevation 45 of the motor unit as it appears in inoperative position.

Fig. 4 is an elevation view of the motor per se,

as it appears in its operative or timing position. Referring now to the drawings in'which like soreference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l indicates a substantially square casing having a. front beaded edge H which terminates in an interior relatively narrow bezel l2. The rear of 5 the casing is adapted tobe completely closed by a flat plate I3 having inturned tongues l4 and H3 at its upper and lower edges, respectively, said tongues being adapted to be slipped within the interior of the casing Ill. The upper inturned tongue I4 is provided with a round aperture which is adapted to receive a short-stud l6 depending from the interior of the top surface of the clock casing Ill. The bottom tongue i5 is provided with a drifted tapped hole l1 for receiving a locking screw I8 extending upwardly through the base 10 of the casing l0, said screw also serving to hold an ornamental base IS in assembled position under the casing I8.

The interior mechanism of the present invention comprises a spring-operated time motor 28 which is adapted to be governed by a usual form of time escapement 2|, and also a spring-operated alarm motor 22, which likewise operates through a usual form of alarm escapement 23 (see Fig 3).

The time and alarm motors and 22 are 20 adapted to be supported between front and rear motor plates 24 and 25 held in spaced relation, as by a plurality of pillars 26.

The complete motor unit, which for convenience is indicated by the numeral 21, is sup- 25 ported upon the rear of a dial backing plate 28 by means of a plurality of small connecting posts 30, three in this instance. A thin metal .dial plate 3| is positioned against the front face of the backing plate 28 and is provided with 3 suitable time indicating indicia 32, which in this particular case consists of a circular scale running clockwise and adapted to designate a'period of thirty minutes.

In order to prevent the dial plate 3| from being scratched, it is provided with a transparent cover plate 33, preferably of thin cellulose ma.- terial. The three plates 28, 3| and 33 may be attached together as by rivets, not shown, to form a unitary structure, and this unit is then abutted against the front bezel l2 of the easing III.

A pair of large tapped pillars 35 are attached to opposite edges of the dial backing .plate 28 and extend rearwardly into abutment with the rear casing plate l3, to which they are secured as by means of headed screws 36.

The alarm sounding means comprises a cylindrical cup-shaped gong 31 disposed between the rear plate l3 and the motor unit 21, and is held spaced from said back plate and said motor unit by means of a pair of short posts 38 having riveted connection to said gong 31 and said rear plate l3, as shown in Fig. 2. v

The time motor 20 referred to above is driven by '55 a spiral main spring 39 connected at its inner end mounted upon the squared section 42 and is operatively intermeshed with an alarm winding gear 44 loosely and rotatably mounted upon an alarm arbor 45, joumaled in the plates 24 and 28.

In order to simultaneously wind the time motor 20 and the alarm motor 22, the alarm' winding gear 44 is provided with a forwardly projecting pin 46 which is adapted to engage one edge of a small winding arm 41 rigidly aflixed to the forward end of the alarm arbor 45. It will be noted from this construction that, when the alarm gear 44 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, the pin 46 will rotate the winding lever in the same direction and cause an alarm spring 48 to be wound up. The alarm spring 48 is secured at its inner end to the alarm arbor 45 and at its outer end to a stud post 43 mounted on the rear of the front plate 24.

An alarm driving gear 58 is frictionally mounted upon the alarm arbor 45 in such a manner that during the setting operation, the arbor 45 will rotate without rotating said gear 50, but when the alarm escapement is released, the gear 50 will be slowly driven by the alarm spring for operating the alarm escapement. The time motor 28 is likewise provided with a power gear 5| frictionally mounted upon the time arbor 40 in a manner similar to the mounting oi the alarm gear 50. One advantage of the use of such friction slipping driving gears is that an infinite number of settings of the pointer may be obtained on the time dial, permitting extremely accurate and fine time settings to be made.

A time indicating and setting pointer 52 is positioned in front of the dial 3|, and is provided with a collar 53 for non-rotatable engagement with thesquared section 42 of the shaft 40. The pointer 52 is held in spaced relation from the dial plate 3| bymeans of a tubular spacing sleeve 54 surrounding the squared section 42 and held in abutted relation between the adjacent faces of the center gear 43 and the collar 53 by means of a nut 55 screwed upon the reduced end of the shaft 48. The time pointer 52 is provided on opposite sides of the pivotal axis with a pair of handle knobs 56 projecting forwardly therefrom.

' I Pointer stop post .centrically" positioned with respect to the dial plate 3| adjacent the transparent plate 33. The

disc 51v is held in fixed position by means of a rivet 51mm is provided with aseries of small notches 58 extending about its entire circumference except at a short blank space 53 adjacent the zero'position of the dial 3|. A wide stop post arm 63, constructed of thin flexible metal, is

pivotally'mounted at the center of the dial by means of a flanged bushing 5| extending through the dial plates 38, 2|, the transparent plate 33 and the disc'51. The outer end of the arm 60 is .fprovided at one side with an index finger 52, while a handle stop-pin 63 is mounted on the other side of the end of said arm 60, said stop pin lying in the path of the indicating pointer 52 to accurately limit the swing thereof during the setting operation.

In order to positively lock the stop post arm 60 in any desired adjusted position, a thin locking block 64 is riveted or otherwise secured to the underside of said arm 68, and is provided at its inner end with a pointed tooth 65 adapted to selectively engage any desired point on the circumference of'the notched disc 51. The block 64 may, however, be disengaged from the notches by flexing the arm 60 forwardly, as will be described later.

To restrain the operation of the alarm motor 22 until the indicating and setting pointer 52 has returned to the zero indication on the dial, provision is made of a. bell-crank releasing lever 66 rigidly secured on the forward end of a shaft 61 rotatably journaled in the plates 24 and 25, and projecting a short distance in front of the front plate 24, so as to support the lever 66 in spaced relation therefrom. The lever 66 is constantly pressed in a clockwise direction by a helical tension spring 68 mounted on the forward end of the shaft 61 between the front plate 24 and the releasing lever 66. The spring 68 is connected at one end 69 with the front plate 24, and at its other end 10 with an oblique arm 1| formed integral with the releasing lever 66 (see Fig. 3).

The outer free end of the releasing lever 66 is provided with a triangular shaped head 12 having a rounded point and an inturned cam section 13, terminating in an outwardly bent small hook member 14. A small stop pin 15 is mounted on the center winding gear 43 and projects forwardly therefrom into registry with the cam section 13 and hook member 14. The shape of the hook member 14 is such that a reentrant catch space 16 is provided behind said hook member, the purpose of which is to engage the pin 15 when the winding gear 43 has traveled 360 degrees, and thus prevent more than one rotation of the same.

For the purpose of controlling the alarm escape mechanism 23, the outer free end of the radial arm 1| is provided with an inturned detent lug 11 which is adapted to lie in the path of a catch arm 18 provided at one end of a vibratory bar 19 rotatably journaled between the plates 24 and 25. The

. rear end of the bar 19 is provided with an angular hammer arm 80 having a hammer head 8| upon its outer free end which is adapted to strike against the interior wall of the gong 31 for sounding the alarm. The vibratory bar 19 is provided with the usual form of two-arm anchor pallet member 82 which coacts with the alarm train escapement mechanism 23 to vibrate the hammer against the gong 31 when the setting pointer returns to the zero position.

. Operation In the usual operation of the alarm where different time settings are employed in successive alarms, there will be no need of using the stop post arm 60, and it may be swung around in a clockwise direction into an inoperative position until the detent tooth block 64 is positioned in the blank space 59 at the top of the notched disc 51. The operation will then be as follows:

The pointer 52 will first be turned in a clockwise direction to the' point on the dial scale indicating the time period desired. This turning action of the pointer 52 accomplishes three results simultaneously First-The time spring 33 will be wound and the center gear 43 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, causing the pin 15 carried thereby to be released from the hook l4, whereupon the releasing arm 66 will be permitted to swing in a clockwise direction about its axis under the infiuence of the helical spring 68 until stopped by the engagement of the nose of the hook member I4 with the tubular sleeve 54 surrounding the squared section 42 of the shaft, and also causing the detent lug 11 of the radial arm II to be carried into the path of the releasing arm 18 to lock the alarm mechanism 23;

Second-The meshing of the gear 43 with the alarm winding gear 44 causes the latter to rotate counter-clockwise Third.--The pin-46 carried by the gear 44 engages the alarm winding lever 41 and carries it counter-clockwise, and consequently winds up the alarm spring 48.

When the indicating and setting pointer 52 is released, the following action will occur:

The tension of the time spring 39 acting through the time train 20 will instantly start the time escapement into vibration. The timing will thus begin immediately upon the release of the pointer, and no extra mechanism is required to start the same. As the pointer 52 is automatically returned to zero position, it revolves the alarm gear 44 about the alarm arbor 45 in a clockwise direction without operating the alarm spring and escapement 23. The stud pin 46 carried by said alarm gear 44 will thus be moved back to the zero or stop" position.

Shortly before the pointer 52 arrives at its zero position, the stop pin 15 on the center gear 43 will engage with the straight cam surface 13 of the triangular head 12 of the releasing lever 65, and rotate the" latter in a counter-clockwise direction against the influence of the spring 68.

The detent lug ll of the releasing lever 66 will be thus moved out of the path of the catch arm 18, whereupon the alarm escapement 23 will be operated by the alarm spring 48 and cause the hammer head 8| to repeatedly strike against the alarm gong 31.

The stop pin I5 will also engage in the hook I4, causing the time motor to come to a stop shortly thereafter.- The hook 14 also serves to limit the rotation of the pointer shaft counter-clockwis beyond the zero point.

The alarm will continue to sound until the winding arm- 41, which is then rotating clockwise, strikes the pin 46 on the gear 44 which has previously been returned to the inactive position shown in Fig. 3.

It will also be understood that the duration of the alarm-is dependent upon the time periodv for which the timer is set, the maximum period being approximately 10 to 15 seconds in the particular design of the mechanism herein illustrated.

In case one wishes to use the alarm clock frequently for the same time period, the stop post 60 may be brought into use. For example, if it is desired to set the timer for a period of between 11 and 12 minutes, the stop post will first be released from its inactive position at the top of the dial by grasping the handle pin 63 and flexing the stop post arm 60 forwardly so that the locking block 64 will be out of engagement with the notches 58 of the disc 51. The arm 60 will then be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the handle pin 63 will then be released, causing the block 64 to engage the corresponding notch of the disc 51, which will positively lock said arm 60 against rotation. Consequently, when the indicating and setting pointer 52 is rotated in setting the alarm, it will strike against the stop post pin 63 and be accurately set for the required timing period.

An important feature of the invention is the extreme simplicity of the operation. On timers of this type made heretofore, it has usually been necessary to wind two springs, one for the time and one for the alarm. Moreover, it has been customary to provide a shut-off for the alarm motor to avoid the necessity of winding the alarm spring each time the timer was used.

With the present invention as herein disclosed, it is simply necessary to turn the pointer to the time period required, which action winds the time and alarm springs and locks the alarm from operation until the expiration of the timing period.

' In case the operator desires to set the alarm for a short period of time, such as five minutes, and wants the alarm to sound for the maximum period, this may be accomplished by first turning the pointer 52 clockwise to the limit of its rotation (approximately 360 degrees), and then returning the pointer to the scale indication of five minutes, and releasing it.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention. is not to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In an automatic timer, a main arbor, a spring-actuated time controlled mechanism, a dial, a setting lever secured to said arbor and movable in front of said dial to indicate the timed period, a toothed ratchet disc fixed in position with respect to said dial and concentric with said arbor, a fiat resilient stop arm pivoted on the axis of said arbor to limit the swing of said setting lever and permit it to be set quickly and accurately to any desired predetermined period of time, said stop arm having an oifset detent tooth normally lying in the plane of said ratchet disc and engageable with the teeth thereof, said stop am also having a handle to permit flexing of said stop arm to swing said detent tooth out of engagement with the teeth of said ratchet disc whenever it is desired to change the timed period, said ratchet disc having a short upper section free from teeth to receive said stop arm when out of use.

2. In an automatic alarm clock, a spring-driven time arbor, a spring-driven alarm arbor spaced from said time arbor, a pair of intermeshing gears, one of which is rigidly mounted on said time arbor and the other of which is loosely mounted on said alarm arbor, a time train and an alarm train driven by said gears respectively, an indicating and setting pointer rigidly mounted on said time arbor for simultaneously winding both the time arbor spring and alarm arbor spring when said pointer is swung from its zero position to the predetermined setting point, a spring-pressed bellcranklever pivoted at a point remote from said time arbor, one arm of said lever having a bent up detent lug to obstruct the operation of said alarm train when said lever is in one extreme position, the other arm of said lever having a cam hook, said time gear having an outstanding stop pin adapted to engage said cam hook to swing said bell-crank lever against the action of its spring and release said alarm train when the tim-- ing period has expired, said lever having a reentrant catch recess spaced from said cam hook to receive said stop pin and prevent more than one rotation of said pointer, said bell-crank lever having a limited swinging motion to permit a full 360 degree rotation of said setting pointer.

FREDERICK LUX. 

